Toy foot-ball game-board



(No Model.)

M. A. GAHALANE.

TOY FOOT BALL GAME BOARD.

No. 593,512. Patented Nov. 9,1897.

W/TN'ESSES //v VENTOR A TTOHNE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL A. OAHALANE, OF OHARLESTOWN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TOY FOOT-BALL GAM E-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 593,512, dated November 9, 1897.

' Application filed December 23, 1896. Serial No. 616,719. (NdmodeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL A. CAHALANE, residing at Oharlestown, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Foot-Ball Games, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to apparatus which may be called a toy foot-ball game.

The object of the invention is to produce an apparatus by which a simulated game of foot-ball may be played indoors.

Figure 1 represents the board or gridiron, having preferably parallel lines at intervals, supposed to correspond to five-yard intervals on the actual field and having goals at the ends. Fig. 2 indicates a game actuator or register consisting of a diagram having directions thereon and apointer pivoted at the center thereof. Fig.3indicates the toy punter or kicker, which is placed atcertain positions on the board,as determined by the actuator or otherwise.

The board A may be of any convenient size and may be made to fold along the center line if of large size. The center line is indicated at O on the drawings. Cross-lines indicate intervals which preferably correspond to distances of five yards on the actual foot-ball field. The lines are preferably numbered from the center to the ends. At each end there is a goal, as indicated at G, which goal may be a hoop, loop, wicket, or other device having an opening of such size as to require some little skill in order to pass a ball through it. Along the center line of the board, between goals or in other convenient position, are holes D, which may receive the pinconnected to the kicker or punter and retain said toy in position for a kick.

The game indicator or register consists of a card, board,or dial E, preferably divided into sectors by lines passing through the center and dividing the circumference into a number of parts, which may be as numerous as desirable. In each space between the radial lines there is entered some data relating to a foot-ball game, such as Runner gains a certain number of yards, or Foul tackle, Lose ball, or other arbitrary matter related A center pin on this register to the game.

serves as a pivot for a pointer or arrowH, which is balanced on the pin and made to turn by a blow of the finger or a small mallet or in other suitable manner. The stopping-point of the arrow or pointer over the arbitrary matter on the register determines what the side having possession of the indicator gains or loses. Usually one complete revolution of the pointer is required before the score counts. One side or player has possession of the indicator or register for a given time or for a given number of plays unless the side loses by the register, when the other side makes the play. The kicking to goal should always be done by the kicker, and other plays may be so made.

The punter or kicker I is a toy figure, preferably to represent a man mounted on a base K and firmly connected thereto. Apin L on this base may be inserted into any of the holes D of the gridiron-board, and the face of the figure can be turned in any direction. On the base K there is a support M for a toy football 0. One leg of the figure, where a figure is used, or in lieu thereof a spring-lever P, is arranged to be pressed by a spring S, so that the leg or lever may be drawn back by a cord T, or in other suitable manner, and released to give a kick or blow to the ball 0. The toy figure or kicker being secured to the basepiece which supports the toy foot-ball, the adjustment of the base-piece, kicker, and ball is efiected by turning the base-piece, the securing-pin acting as a pivot or center. Considerable skill may be attained in this adjustment and in the operation of the springprojector to actuate the ball with the necessary or desirable force.

The game may be played in various ways. The indicator or register may be spun to determine the position the ball shall take, or it may be spun to determine the position the toy punter shall take, and the ball may be projected through a goal by the punter or kicker in order to make a complete score. Usually a combination game is preferable, in which the ball is worked by spinning the actuator or register to proximity to a goal when the punter or kicker is used to drive the ball through the goal, considerable skill being required to set the punter or kicker in such position and to actuate the leg or lever with TOO just the right force to propel the ball through the goal; but the precise details of the game can be varied, as per rules arranged before the beginning of the game. The toy kicker or punter may be located on the board by the action of the indicator or register and the ball then kicked from this location. In fact, a great variety of combinations can be made by having a register or indicator with arbitrary marks thereon and a toy ball and kicker therefor to actually propel the ball through some parts of the game. r p

I am aware that toy kickers were known prior to my invention, but not known, so far as I am aware, in a determined relation to a game-board showing a foot-ball field. I am also aware that rotating needles or pointers were known before my invention. I am also aware that game-boards indicating a foot-ball field were known. Nevertheless I am not aware and do not believe that any device was known prior to my invention wherein a toy player may propel a toy ball on a toy field nor wherein a toy player may be operatively attached at different positions on' such a field.

What I claim is The foot-ball game-board having divisions and goals marked thereon, and having a series of holes in its face, the base-piece having a pin to enter any of said holes and support said base thereby, the lever connected to said base and actuated by a spring to project a ball from a rest on said base-piece, and the indicator having arbitrary directions marked thereon, and having a rotary indicating-needle, all combined for operation substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL A. CAHALANE.

Witnesses:

ALMORS I. BoLLEs, FRANCIS A. BoLLEs. 

